Why they keep coming back
In a world where generations often move through separate spaces, Youth for Community Engagement (YCE) creates opportunities for young people and the elderly to spend time together.
What begins as volunteerism often becomes something more personal.
For more than five decades, YCE has connected immigrant youth and older adults across San Francisco through community service, cultural celebrations, and regular visits to senior housing sites. Along the way, young people develop leadership skills and strengthen their connection to community. Just as importantly, they build relationships that might not otherwise exist.
For many students, those relationships become the reason they stay.
When students first join YCE, they often arrive with different goals in mind. Some are looking for volunteer opportunities. Others hope to build confidence, meet new people, or become more connected to their cultural community. Like many high school students balancing academics, extracurricular activities, and family responsibilities, they have no shortage of ways to spend their time.
Yet what keeps them returning is often something they did not expect.
Renton first joined because he wanted to feel more connected to the Chinese community and meet people who shared similar experiences. Vicky was looking for opportunities to strengthen her communication skills and become more comfortable speaking with others.
“YCE felt like a good way to meet new people, build leadership skills, and help the community at the same time,” Angela shared.
Through the Adopt-A-Senior Building project, youth regularly visit senior housing sites across San Francisco to lead activities, share conversations, and spend time with residents. While the activities may change from visit to visit, the consistency matters. Relationships develop over time through repeated interactions and the simple act of showing up.
“Seeing the seniors smile when we visit makes me want to keep coming back,” Vicky shared.
Renton remembers feeling nervous during his first meeting.
“I was nervous when I first joined, but everyone made me feel encouraged and comfortable right away,” he said.
That sense of belonging extends beyond relationships with seniors. Students also find a community among one another. Many described YCE as a place where they feel supported by peers who share a commitment to serving others and strengthening their communities.
“It’s not stressful because I’m with my friends,” Angela shared. “We support each other.”
As students continue participating, they often begin to see leadership differently. Rather than something tied to a title, leadership becomes connected to responsibility, consistency, and a willingness to contribute.
“Leadership takes a lot of work and responsibility,” Aaron reflected. “It made me respect people in leadership positions more.”
Others emphasized that leadership within YCE is rarely about any one person.
“Everyone shares the work to help,” Vicky explained.
“One of the most meaningful parts of YCE is seeing how relationships grow through consistency,” Winnie Lin, Program Coordinator, shared. “When youth continue showing up month after month, those visits become something people genuinely look forward to, and the connection between generations becomes really meaningful.”
The impact of those relationships extends well beyond individual visits. Each year, YCE participants contribute thousands of volunteer hours through senior building visits, cultural celebrations, and community events across San Francisco. Their presence helps create opportunities for older adults to stay socially connected while strengthening relationships between generations that might not otherwise have the chance to spend time together.
At the same time, young people gain something equally valuable. They learn that community is not simply something they belong to. It is something they can help sustain. Through conversations with seniors, they hear stories that connect them to history, culture, and lived experiences different from their own. Through service, they begin to understand how small acts of care contribute to something much larger.
For more than 50 years, this model has remained remarkably consistent. Young people show up, seniors welcome them in, and relationships develop over time. The impact is felt on both sides. Seniors gain connection and companionship. Youth gain confidence, perspective, and a deeper understanding of what it means to contribute to community life.
In a city where generations can easily move through separate worlds, YCE creates opportunities for people to learn from one another and remain connected across age, language, and experience.
That spirit will be celebrated at the upcoming Youth for Community Engagement Luncheon on June 11, bringing together youth, seniors, families, and community members to recognize another year of intergenerational connection across San Francisco.
The luncheon is an opportunity to celebrate the relationships, volunteerism, and community leadership that make this program possible. It is also a reminder that these connections do not happen by accident. They are built through time, consistency, and the willingness of both youth and seniors to keep showing up for one another.
“The luncheon is a chance to celebrate everything youth and seniors have shared throughout the year,” Paula Zeng, Senior Program Coordinator, shared. “It brings people together to reflect on the relationships, growth, and community that developed through all of those experiences.”
Join us on June 11 at Far East Cafe at 11:30am as we celebrate the youth and seniors who continue to build meaningful connections across San Francisco. If you’re unable to attend, consider making a donation to support opportunities for young people to stay engaged in their communities and continue this work for years to come.